Unbreakable (2019 Filipino film)

{{Infobox film

| name =

| image = Unbreakable (2019 Filipino film).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name =

| director = Mae Cruz-Alviar

| writer =

| screenplay = Vanessa R. Valdez
Kris Ann de la Peña
Patrick John Valencia
Additional:
Mae Cruz-Alviar

| story = Vanessa R. Valdez

| based_on =

| producer =

| starring ={{plainlist|*Angelica Panganiban

| narrator =

| cinematography = Hermann Claravall

| editing = Beng Bandong

| music = Cesar Francis Concio

| studio = ABS-CBN Film Productions

| distributor = Star Cinema

| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2019|11|27}}

| runtime =

| country = Philippines

| language = Filipino, English

| budget =

| gross = {{Philippine Peso|120 million}}

}}

Unbreakable is a 2019 Filipino romantic drama film directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar starring Angelica Panganiban, Bea Alonzo and Richard Gutierrez. The film was released to mixed-to-positive reviews but the over dramatization in the story was criticised.{{cite web|url=https://corporate.abs-cbn.com/newsroom/news-releases/2019/12/10/friends-turn-into-foes-in-the-film-unbreakable?lang=en|title=Friends turn into foes in the film “Unbreakable”|publisher=ABS-CBN Entertainment |date=10 December 2019}}

Plot

=2005=

Then aged-18, Mariel Salvador and Deena Yambao become friends in college. While Mariel is an IT major, Deena is more impulsive and keeps changing majors and is insistent on having a boyfriend. No matter what happened in life, they vowed to maintain their friendship.

=2012=

Mariel is set to marry photographer-cum-businessman Justin Saavedra. Deena, who eventually became a nurse in Norway, goes to a wedding in the Philippines as a maid of honour where she meets Justin's brother Bene Saavedra. Issues arise when Justin and Bene's mother, Helen Saavedra takes a liking for Deena while having a grudge against Mariel.

Whether their desires in love affect their friendship form the rest of the story.

Cast

{{Cast listing|

  • Angelica Panganiban as Deena Yambao
  • Bea Alonzo as Mariel Salvador
  • Richard Gutierrez as Justin Saavedra, Mariel's ex-husband. He is the father of Mareena, Deena's daughter
  • Ian Veneracion as Bene Saavedra, Justin's older brother who married Deena. He was killed in a plane crash
  • Rosanna Roces as Janice Salvador, Mariel's mother
  • Gloria Diaz as Helen Saavedra, mother of Justin and Bene
  • Via Antonio as Sarah
  • PJ Endrinal as Pochoy
  • Allan Paule as Dodi, Mariel's father
  • Issa Litton as Cara
  • Joao Constancia as Alfred Salvador, Mariel's one of younger brothers
  • Anthony Jennings as Mark Salvador, Mariel's one of younger brothers
  • Xia Vigor as Mareena, Deena's daughter with Justin and Mariel's goddaughter

}}

Reception

A critic from ABS-CBN wrote that "Director Mae Cruz-Alviar never allowed the story to sag, coming up with another new, more difficult complication to challenge their friendship even further. It was so neat to notice how even the smallest details mentioned fell right into place in the overall story".

{{cite news |last1=Hawson |first1=Fred |title=Movie review: Bea Alonzo, Angelica Panganiban in top form in 'Unbreakable' |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/11/29/19/movie-review-bea-alonzo-angelica-panganiban-in-top-form-in-unbreakable |access-date=April 15, 2022 |publisher=ABS-CBN Entertainment |date=November 29, 2019 |archive-date=January 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124045949/https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/11/29/19/movie-review-bea-alonzo-angelica-panganiban-in-top-form-in-unbreakable |url-status=live }} A critic from Rappler wrote that "Unbreakable uses low-brow tragedy as a crutch. It is so desperate for sobs that it injects its storyline with the most unimaginative of devices. The film verges on being totally shameless".{{Cite web|url=https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/246202-unbreakable-review/|title=‘Unbreakable’ review: Desperate for tears|publisher=Rapper|first=Alexa|last=Villano|date=December 2, 2019|access-date=December 6, 2024|archive-date=November 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111104820/https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/246202-unbreakable-review/|url-status=live}} A critic from Cosmopolitan wrote that "Unbreakable is not a perfect film though" and concluded that "overall, I would say this movie is outstanding and definitely a must-watch for every Cosmo girl and her best girl friends".{{cite web |title=An Honest Review Of 'Unbreakable' |url=https://www.cosmo.ph/entertainment/honest-review-unbreakable-a987-20191202-lfrm?s=(invalid%20license) |website=COSMO.PH |language=en-ph |date=December 2, 2019}}

References

{{Reflist}}